Card Range To Study

24 Cards in this Set

relationship between two or more variables in which one variable influences or explains the change in the oghr variables

correlation

when two or more variables change value together in the same or opposite direction

dependent variable

a variable whose value is believed to depend upon or to be caused by another variable

experiments

Carefully designed and controlled attempts, usually conducted in a laboratory,to determine the effect of specific variables on a particular dependent variable or on the behavior or attitudes of the experiment's subjects

field research

the study of social life in its natural setting

hypothesis

a statement of the expected relationship between two or more variables

independent variable

a variable that causes or produces change in the value of another (dependent) variable

negative correlation

a relationship between two variables such that in the majority of cases, when one variable increases in value, the other decreases in value

operationalize

to specify how the variable is to be measured

participant observation

a research method in which the researcher systematically observes people while actually joining with them in their activities

perfect positive correlation

a relatinship between two variables such that they both change together and in the same direction in all cases

population

the group of people to whom the results of research are applicable

positive correlation

a relationship between two variables such that they both change together in the same directin in the majority of cases

qualitative research

research that emphasizes the uncovering of subjective meanings and ways people interact in everday life through the use of descriptive, rather than numerical, data

quantitative research

research that emphasizes the statistical analysis of numerical data

random sampling

process by whicheach member of apopulation of intereest has the same chance of being selected for participation in the study

reliability

consistency in the measurement of a variable over time; the quality of measurement of the variable that suggest that the same results and data would be collected in repeated observations

representative sample

subgreoup of the populatin that accurately reflects the composition of the populatin as well as the distribution of important characteristics and attributes within the population

sample

subgroup of the population from which the researcher will collect data

secondary analysis of existing data

use of data initiallly collected by other researchers to analyze a topic of interest

validity

extent to which a measure actually measures what it is intended to measure